Current practice of launching a satellite into space includes a launch vehicle and the attached satellite. The satellite, such as a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellite, a Global Positioning System satellite, or a Defense Satellite Communications System satellite includes an extending adapter ring for coupling the satellite to the launch vehicle. The launch vehicle also has a mating circular adapter ring. Both the launch vehicle and the satellite adapter rings have a circular extending cylinder at the distal end of which is a small horizontal or angularly extending flange. A metal band that is known as a marman clamp is fastened around both of the small extending flanges so as to rigidly couple the satellite to the launch vehicle. Once the launch vehicle has reached the designated release point during launch, the clamp is released and the satellite departs from the launch vehicle.
In some situations, the orbiting satellite may require servicing, such that there is a need to dock a repair vehicle to the satellite. Typical recovery missions would include boosting a satellite from a wrong orbit, moving dead satellites out of valuable orbital slots, rescuing personnel in a deorbiting space station, among others missions. A recovery vehicle can attach to the satellite by means of a docking mechanism. While many docking mechanisms have been designed in the past, none are known to have a multi-mission capability. All docking mechanisms to date have been designed to work in tandem with an appropriately designed docking interface on the target satellite. That is, both vehicles need to be equipped with custom docking interfaces to couple the vehicles together. However, most satellites that are already on-orbit, as well as most satellites currently under development, lack any docking interfaces whatsoever. Therefore, current docking mechanisms do not function with most existing and near term satellite systems. As such, there is no universal docking mechanism available for most types of satellites, including those with circular adapter rings. These and other disadvantages are solved or reduced using the invention.